Operating mechanism for overhead opening doors



April 27, 1948. R. WILDER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR OVERHEAD OPENING DOORS v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' Filed June 4, 1945 7 vii I! i .R m: w. TO N mm R V m m T M A N a u U E. a R m a w 4 I! /z 3 r April 27, 1948. v wlLDER 7 2,440,561

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR OVERHEAD OPBNI ENG DOORS Filed June 4,1945 2 Sheets-Sheet? a b 36 I19 -.4.. ,73 40 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patentefl Apr. 27, 1948 Reuben M. wilder, C(ialifi; gg eg twilderhxeqlltfixqi said Reuben M. Wilder,

tes the cprgcrete or y age g rune :2 W 5? swi ie from xerticamlpsed'msitiq nqwn E' byxfi'eans" of "brackets having :l m pntall end rearwardly extenqing'members 9 :securedet tllei; forward ends to the outer sidegpfi thewegtiqg], door jambswr .i ists 4 *as. .byfbolts'enlag 50.13% I f' d'afieularfly biased ,fzom

member ,9 as at H and boltllfi rrlqfllfil'. a al iqmax l eniis tor the .Ql117 IT1d$LQfT12]Zl damhsnasfat. I? 4'} pair of strut rods 01'. 811x1 5 13 HiYQPQ -FQ 1 1, 91. 1 lower ends to theirear QHQSDfQ IE L KQES a vaeetelfi alnd piyoted jat theizt umerends Ltq the 12-121 6! ill- 1x confers crime door H'B qr ratt es-to an le plate :16 in tum sexzureid as .et l1 JZQI he 11.1326? marginal doorfframe. member I! car y themieht of'th donfaind nroyide'its myptaliim un m 1 and 2 to the Eig. 2.

oy erheaglpnsitipnisl pwh Qo ted 1:130 guide the slaqrhm per yuiln sug w e heasi swinging moxement a pair 9t yertigal guid n slots 18- vareipnovided at the, L QZI Q Q 9t @912 vertical jambs 4 and throgghimltli hisltlts gg 331g pips or rodS'lB projellt rigidly tfypmtthe (Astor;

3120 forum the guiding s10tsj:8 I vpltef erablyfh lt I a thick gtrip or LW'OOdfZD atoppiosite ends to the ve'ntial jambs as by boltelliand haye'a pap1gg cellar [01 blockfzz arbund each'bolt hetween ,thje jamb and the strip to"p1:o.vide the vertical nigifi ing slots l8. It is of course evident that ametal bar may be used"iflp1adeof the modem striplzfl but weed i esie t and s J bs-3am! Rods 1.9 lpreierab y telescop 'ntQ te nt rtme dlate pine section Lfifmieidly sec gdto the @1 tral frame member 8 fishy leg 23 an th telesconic ends l9 g eeh' likew fie @9 jacem theirends wh atscr w-e lqs tizfi BY this epnstguetmn a cpntmyo 1sg1em1 1: pjpe is prdvmea? horiz ntelly the QQ E IE I 42 3- tion of .the dbor itgagditipmlly reinforce the same, and the -.t 1ec9p ?;f@t u ie ma e i ta en e arid thereby" 'greatlysimplifies' installation.

ifirojectingfiorwapdlyafrom the outer en s 9f guide" rods 1.9 at the "buterjsides oijambs 5.34;? eyebnlts :25? to theptorwaltd tend's' Qf. whichh hain s whi h l cables 26, 26' are attached and which pass upwardly and over a winding drum 21, 21' carried near the end of an overhead power shaft 28, 28 extending horizontally above the upper lintel 5 and rotatably supported by bearing brackets 29 which are preferably L-shaped and each with the long leg secured to the outer side of the jamb 4 as by nails or screws 30.

The central section 28' of the overhead power shaft is preferably a pipe into which the end i aa idei .i

The oil pump and controls are positioned in a box 44 secured to the floor of the garage or to the wall as indicated at 45 and comprises the arrangement of parts shown in Fig. 4 as follows:

At the bottom of the box is a tray 46 forming an oil sump and containing oil 41 to function as the hydraulic fluid, and immersed in theoil is a positive type of pump 48 driven by an electric i .motor 49, taking in oil at 50 which when the pump section 28 telescopes so as to be adjustable for any width of door and after adjustment are rigidly secured to the pipe section as by through I pins or bolts 3|.

The rope or chain 28 passes around winding drum 21 a couple of times and is secured at its end thereto so that when the overhead shaft is turned the rope will be wound up onto the drum to lift the door. The other rope or chain 25 similarly extends upward to its winding drum 2'! and after a turn or two is preferably secured thereto and then given a few more turns and with counterweights 32 attached to its free end so that as the rope 26' is wound up onto the drum to lift thedoor the counterweights will descend and vice versa. Thus when the overhead shaft is turned the door will be lifted with guide rods l9 riding in the vertical guiding slots 18 and pivoted arms l3 will cause the door to inwardly swing to the horizontal overhead position as dotted in Fig. 2 w'iththe guide .rods l9..a

the top of the slots.

The suspension of the door from the forward ends of pins 25 keeps the center of gravity of the door back of the points of suspension so that the moment a strain is put upon ropes 26, 26 to 4 open the door it automatically tends to rock backwardly at its upper end into the garage under guiding control of pivoted arms I3.

When the door is closed the rods l9 may rest on lower spacers'22 to preserve desiredf'loor.

clearance, tho a vertically extending latch bar 33 secured to the door frame member 1 contacts.

36 extends from the spring latch for releasing itbeforethe door is opened as will later be explained.

To revolve the overhead shaft 28 to assist counterweights 32in opening the door a sprocket wheel 31 is secured to the end of one of the shaft sections 28 adjacent the drum 2! and extending over it is a chain 38to one end of which is secured a small counterweight 39 to hold it in firm contact with the sprocket, while the other end is secured to the upper end of a small piston rod 40 which extends through a stufi'ing box 4| and into a vertically disposed hydraulic power cylinder 42 and carries at its lower end a piston 43 operatively fitting in the cylinder and in which the piston is forced downward by oil pumped in from above to open the door, and the piston is raised to eject the oil under control of a valve. by the weight of the door (in excess of the coun;

terweights 32) to close the same.

-is running passes from the pump under pressure through a pipe 5! to the upper end of a small cylinder 52 to act against the upper end of a piston. 53 having a piston rod 54 extending out of a free holezin-lthe lower end of the cylinder and there provided with a laterally extending arm 55 pivoted -at.56 to an upwardly extending link "or arm 51 in turn pivoted at its upper end at 58 to a'valve arm 59 of a plug shut-off valve 60 mounted in a run of pipe 6! which has a branch 52 taking off above valve 60 andextending to the top of the main power cylinder 42 above its piston 43 when in uppermost position. 7

Pipe 6! extends laterally and downwardly to finally-vent at 6| into the oil sump under control of a by-pass valve. 63, while spaced above the by-pass valve on pipe 61 is a check valve 64 permitting flow in direction of the arrow only, and between valves 63 and 64 is a pipe65 connecting pipe 6! with pipe 5| and provided with a flow.

control valve 66. The opposite end of pipe 6| below valve 60 is also vented-to the oil sump, but under control of a valve 61 which'regulates the closing speed of the door.

Piston 53 in cylinder 52 is normally urged upward to position shown in F-igi lbya coiled compression spring 68 located within thecylinder to hold valveliB-closed, and whenforced down will open the valve and the piston will belatched down by a spring latch 69 which is formed with a latchinglip- H1 which springs inward-through movement of the piston 53 will open the. door latch as it closes valve 60. .To operate the door by push-buttonor any other type of. electric switch I provide the circuit and electric elements.

shown in Fig. 4 and wherein .14 and 15 are the house voltage wires going tothe motor 49, i6 is the motor. switch,'l'|1.is a step-down transformer forthe push. button control-circuit, .18 is the door openingff switch or push'button, 19 is the door closing switch or button, and is a solenoid with a movable core rod 8| which forcibly moves either to the left or right respectively as the opening-or closing push button'is. momentarily pressed, and will of course bepassive for moving in either direction when both push buttons are released and both coils of the solenoid are deenergized' 7 Withthe above arrangement,.and assuming the parts are as shown in full line in-Fig. 4 and with the door closed and motor49 stopped, the operation is as follows:

Momentary pressure on push button 18 energizes .left coil-of solenoid and core rod 8| 'moves to the left andstrikes operating arm 82 of motor switch 16 to start motor and pump and at same time the opposite end of rod-8l moves away from spring latch 69 so that latchis free to snap into groove-.12 ofpiston-53 when-it is pushed down;

against spring 68 by pressure of liquid from pipe ag tat on echn cians ant-leak a closed a tiiis "1 'h pipe lil'ijpissiire r g V "a: vaive susip s at sta r:

anotherarm 83 of the switch down over the end button- 84 of a *Biiwden wire 85 which extends slidably througha tube. 86 and through a hearing 81 secured*tothldifidftfidnf cylinder 42 "and-there provided with a'headflfl normally urged upward by a small compression spring flil toi-position shown in-Fig. fl,all'sothat-when power piston 43 isrcre'ducswn tetne bo'tto'm'bf cylinder 42 to k'i'ring the door to the 'cipen position shown ddtted in E-igwl thep'i'sto ill" push 'head $88 down a'rid consequently-urge 'the; biiter end-button 84 of the wire 85 upward and move motor switch arm 83 from dotted to full line position and thus break the motor circuit and stop the motor and p p.

The door will therefore be hydraulically locked in open position as valve 60 and check valve 64 will both be closed.

To close the door a momentary pressure on closing button 19 energizes the right-hand coil of the solenoid 80 and throws the core rod to the right to strike latch lever 69 and release piston 53 so that spring 68 moves piston 53 upward and bleeding the fluid from cylinder 52 by way of pipes 5|, 65, valve 66, by-pass valve 63 and from El into the tank or sump 46, and as piston rod 54 rises it opens valve 60 to permit discharge of fluid from power cylinder 42 under the excess weight of the door over the counterweights 32. The speed of closing of the door being controlled by the setting of control valve 61 permitting escape of the oil back to the tank or sump 46.-

Should it be desired to operate the door manually at any times this may readily be done by first pulling the latch cord, or blocking it unlatched, and merely pushing the lower part of the door outward and upward as it opens, but in such case it is desirable to place an additional weight or two on the counterweight to substantially balance the door, whereas with the hydraulic opener it is required that the door be overweight with tendency to close so as to force the liquid out of the power cylinder.

In actual installations the push button switch'es may be in look boxes accessible only with a key, or any type of key switches may be used instead. Also it is manifest that for hand operated doors the latch 35 may be omitted and any kind of key operated door lock accessible lower down may be used.

Having thus described my improved overhead opening door and its modes of operation, what I claim is:

1. In an overhead opening door of the character described, means for raising said door comprising flexible strands secured to opposite edges of the door, an overhead shaft about which said flexible strands are arranged for winding, a wheel secured to said shaft with a flexible device arins s3 re'aroiii'id -for tur nin'g thashaftmhen cue-ens pulled a hydrauiimpower'eylinder with powerpiston and means 'c'onnectingthe piston to s'ai'd fi'liible device for pulling 'the same upon a'dr'fiission 'of' liquid u nd'er pressur-e to said-power cylinder, a'n electric-motordrivenpump with oil ii'cl pip'e to siipply oil' u rrder pressure i to sai'd power -cyl inder, an zelect-ric i control-"circuit for starting said motor, and means operated by tl ie power -p'iston at the 'end df its 'door opening stiidke breaking oh'e motor circuit to stop said ni'otorsa valve lockingthe liquid in said power cylinder with the do'cir openparid electricccontrolled means arranged for bleeding: said hydraulic' power cylirider to said sump forcpermitting "the gi avi tyclosirigdfsaid door;

2. an overheadepelling door of the charac- "ter des'efibed meansi' for raising:said dooracomprisi-ng fieiible -stran'ds secured toopposi-te edges of' the dooran overhead shaft aboutwhi'c'h -said flexible strands arearrange ion'wiri'tiingga wheel 'sciirddf to said 'sha ft with a flexible device arrariged therearound ior turning the shaft -when one end is piill'd,ia hydraiilic-pewer cylinder ith powe pistoijkaiid meansconnecting the=piston to A flexible" evice ionpulling the'sameupon-adiii s's'ion "sai quid uniier pressuretosaid pcwercyliriderf -airelectric! motor driven pu'mp' with oil. sump and pipe to supply oil under pressure to said power cylinder, an electric control circuit for starting said motor, and means operated by the power piston at the end of its door opening stroke breaking the motor circuit to stop said motor, a,

valve locking the liquid in said power cylinder:

with the door open, and electric controlled means: arranged for bleeding said hydraulic power cylinder to said sump for permitting the gravity closing of said door including a hydraulic pilot cylinder with spring returned piston therein and piston rod projecting therefrom, means connectin v said piston rod to the power cylinder bleeding means whereby the bleeding means will normally be open, and closed when liquid under pressure is applied to move the pilot piston, latch means locking the pilot piston in moved position against its return spring force, an always open pipe from: said pump to said pilot cylinder, and valve means for regulating the flow of oil to the power cylinder supply pipe, electric control means for starting said motor and pump for opening said door and automatically breaking the motor circuit when the door is open, and electric control means for releasing the pilot piston latch for thereby opening the power cylinder bleeding means to control closing of said door.

3. In an automatic closing electric controlled hydraulically opened door of the character described, a hydraulic power cylinder with power piston therein, means connecting the power piston with the door for forcibly opening the door as the power piston is moved, an electric pump for supplying oil under pressure to said power cylinder, a hydraulic pilot cylinder with spring remotor with motor switch, and a control circuit including a reversible solenoid controlled-by two momentary switches to give either direction of movement of the core, said core arranged upon one-way movement to close said motor switch, and upon opposite way movement to trip the pilot piston latch, and means operated by final hydraulic movement of said power piston opening said motor switch.

4. In a structure as set out in claim 1, a flexible strand connected to pilot piston rod arranged to operate a latch on the door upon hydraulic movement of the pilot piston.

5. In a structure as set out in claim 1, an outlet valve on said branch pipe between said check valve and said flow-control valve, and an oil re-- ceiver arranged to hold a supply of oil for said pump and to receive oil bled from said power cylinder and said outlet valve, and all oil which may leak from any of the oil filled parts above set out.

6. In an overhead opening door of the character described, means for raising said door comprising flexible strands secured to opposite edges of the door, an overhead shaft about which said flexible strands are arranged for winding, a wheel secured to said shaft with a, flexible device arranged therearound for turning the shaft when one end is pulled, a hydraulic power cylinder with power piston and means connecting the pistonto said flexible device for pulling the same upon admission of liquid under pressure to saidpower cylinder, an electric motor driven pump with oil sump and pipe to supply oil under pressure to said power cylinder, an electric control circuit for starting said motor, and means operated by the power piston at the end of its door opening stroke breaking the motor circuit to stop said motor, a valve locking the liquid in said power cylinder with the door open, and electric controlled means including a pilot cylinder with piston therein controlling said valve and the admissionof the hydraulic liquid to and from the power cylinder, and

a connection from the pilot cylinder piston for.-

unlocking said door before movement of the power piston.

a REUBEN M. WILDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Morgan Nov. 5, 1940 

